COX'S BAZAR, Feb 23: Most of the educational institutions in Ramu upazila of the district have remained without any Shaheed Minar.
A total of 152 educational institutions, out of 160, do not have their own Shaheed Minar although it is an instruction of the government to observe the International Mother Language Day on February 21 in all educational institutions across the country.
Students of the institutions are being deprived of showing their respect to the martyrs on 21st February as Shaheed Minar has not been built in their institutions even after 65 years of the Language Movement.
But the students of some schools go to faraway Shaheed Minars in other educational institutions to pay respect to the Language Movement heroes while students of some other schools and colleges observe the day by building temporary Shaheed Minars every year.
Sources at the Upazila Primary and Secondary Education Office said a college at Egar Union, Government Textile Vocational Institute, 25 secondary schools, 117 primary and kindergarten schools and an English medium school in cantonment area do not have Shaheed Minars. Besides, there are 17 madrassas in the upazila which also lack Shaheed Minars. In fact, Ekushey February is not observed in any madrassa here. The day's observation is restricted only to hoisting of national flags half-mast at the madrassas here.
Only seven educational institutions- Ramu College, Ramu Khijari Adarsha Uccha Biddyaloy, Kawrakhop Hakim Rakim Uccha Biddyaloy, Zoyariyanala HM Sangchi High School, Naderuzzaman High School Eidgar AMB High School and Ramu Khijari Govt Primary School, have Shaheed Minars.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mohammad Shahjahan said in absence of Central Shaheed Minar in the upazila, a large portion of the new generation is deprived of knowing the history of the Language Movement, although the whole world observes February 21 as International Mother Language Day.
So it is very essential to erect Shaheed Minar in every educational Institution of the upazila. But headmasters and management committees of the respective schools and colleges are reluctant to take initiative to build Shaheed Minars due to lack of funds, he said, adding "We will provide financial supports to them through union and upazila parishad in this regard".
Headmaster of Zarailtali Uccha Biddyaloy Hossainul Islam Matbor said that they observe International Mother Language Day every year by erecting a temporary Shaheed Minar. He also said that they will take initiative to build a permanent Shaheed Minar with the help of local union parishad chairman.
Headmaster of Garjaniya Uccha Biddyaloy AHM Manirul Islam said his school has no Shaheed Minar. A Shaheed Minar has recently been built beside the school on the premises of Old Union Parishad. This year, they will pay homage to the Language Martyrs by pacing wreaths there.
Headmaster of Mansur Ali Shikder Ideal School said as there is no Shaheed Minar within five kilometres of the school they only bring out Provat Feri and organise discussions marking Ekushey February.
Upazila Education Officer Md Salamat Ullah said every educational institution should have a Shaheed Minar and it's the instruction of the government to observe the International Mother Language Day on February 21 in all educational institutions. But a total of 116 primary schools in the upazila do not have Shaheed Minars. Many of the schools observe Ekushey February by erecting makeshift Shaheed Minars every year.
Deputy Supervisor (Academic) of Upazila Secondary Education Office Mohammad Toiyab Ali said as per the direction of the education department, they sent letters to every secondary school in the upazila in February last year to build Shaheed Minar or renovate the dilapidated ones.
